Special Funding Opportunity for Researchers Working in Practitioner Organizations

JCOIN Grants for Practitioner-led Addiction Services Research and Evaluation Initiatives for Justice Impacted Individuals

Are you a researcher who works in a practitioner, non-profit, or service organization? JCOIN has a special initiative to provide small grants through the JCOIN Rapid Innovation Grants (J-RIG) funding opportunity. The five-page applications are due by September 30, 2026; the application window opens on June 1, 2026.

J-RIG provides funding to support small research projects that examine emerging policies, practices, or interventions aimed at improving addiction treatment and preventing overdose among individuals involved in the criminal legal system. While projects do not need to take place within criminal legal settings, they must demonstrate clear relevance to criminal legal populations or contexts.

J-RIG supports early-stage and practice-informed work, including developmental pilots, feasibility studies, and evaluations that lay the groundwork for future research, policy, and practice improvements. All funded projects must include a research or evaluation component.

Funding

Project duration may be 6 to 24 months, with a total budget not to exceed $135,000.

Eligibility Requirements

This opportunity is open exclusively to practitioners and investigators working within practice-based organizations who are positioned to lead research or evaluation in real-world settings.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be able to serve as a project lead or primary applicant within a practice-based organization. The organization can be a non-profit, technical assistance provider, or service organization, such as healthcare, addiction treatment, behavioral health, social services, probation/parole, pretrial, or institutional corrections services
• Have not previously received NIH, NIJ, or other research funding of more than $500,000 per year in direct costs (note: funding from the U.S. government or other funders that direct-fund services or evaluation does not disqualify applicants).
• Note that service grantees from SAMHSA or BJA are eligible to apply.
• Have not previously received J-RIG funding
• Are not currently receiving JCOIN funding or a current JCOIN LEAP cohort participant

Focus Areas

Proposals may address a wide range of issues at the intersection of health and the criminal legal system, including, but not limited to:

• Implementation and impact of naloxone policies, particularly among first responders;
• Strategies to reduce stigma and improve uptake of evidence-based treatment;
• Effectiveness of behavioral health interventions (e.g., contingency management, CBT, motivational interviewing);
• Use of technology and data systems to improve care coordination and outcomes
• Data sharing and cross-system collaboration; or
• Expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)

Free Technical Assistance Available

If you would like support with the application, the JCOIN’s Technical Assistance (TA) team can provide free assistance on questions about grant writing, research question(s), research designs, data collection methods, or analytical methods. Please write a 300-word abstract explaining your proposed project and complete this form.